6: Protection

(Female Student #10) Uzuki Kimura makes her way down the narrow streets of a residential area. All the houses were tightly squeezed together. There were no real roads in this small town, just dirt. Dirt that made its way up every single nook and cranny. The dirt crawled up the sides of the walls like vines on the side of building. It was absolutely disgusting. Who would live in a place like this?

Uzuki stops in her tracks and she crouches down. She gently lays her bag onto the floor. Uzuki digs her fingernails into the cold hard dirt below her. Handful after handful of dirt is thrown to the side until there is a 3 inch deep, 10 inch around hole in the dirt. She pulls out a green, cylindrical, metal container. It was a landmine. Just holding this death-in-a-box made her uneasy. As she slowing brings it toward the hole she had just dug the sweat that was created in her hands causes the landmine to slip to the ground. She could have sworn her heart had stopped for a good five minutes. Fortunately, well at least according to the directions that came with the landmines, the landmines don't become active until the safely pin is released. Uzuki retains her breath and places the landmine inside the hole and covers it lightly with the dirt she tossed to the side and as she had done with all the other landmines she placed she removes the safety pin.

Uzuki removes a piece of paper and a pencil from her bag. She wipes off the sweat from her hands onto her skirt as she tries to find some moonlight to write on the piece of paper. On the piece of paper seemed to be composed of groups of parallel lines, squares and shaded in circles. It was a map but it wasn't the map that was supplied in their military bag it was hand drawn. It was a map of where Uzuki had placed all her landmines and she adds the one she just placed as well. She makes her way back to the building she is hiding in since all the landmines that she was supplied with were now in the ground.

Very similar to the outside of these houses the inside was also covered with dirt. How can a place get so dirty? It was like nobody had lived on this island for years. Uzuki throws her bag onto the floor after she had taken a bottle of water out of it. She twists off the cap breaking the seal of the water and flops onto the dirt invested chair. "What have I got myself into now?" She takes a long gulp from her water bottle.

Uzuki stares at the center of the old wooden table in the center of the room. It would be long before her eyes would adjust to the darkness of the room. Why do I have to be here? Why can't life be easy? What good was it too sneak out of Japan to suffer the same fate?! They should have known better! Uzuki starts to tighten her grip on her water bottle. They never do anything right always making things worse. When will they ever learn? Why won't they just leave things be?! We would have been fine in Japan. A happy family. No they had to ruin everything. They always have to ruin everything! The anger builds up in Uzuki and she throws her water bottle across the room. You can hear it crashing against some kind of breakable object. Most likely some kind of hardened clay objects.

Out of her frustration she puts her face down onto the dirty wooden table. Her fists come crashing down onto the table several times before she lifts her head. An inch develops in the back of her throat. The fact that she just threw her water across the room didn't help. "Why?!" She lifts herself off of the table and reaches for the military bag she had thrown on the ground. She pulls out the flashlight that was supplied for her and makes her way to where she threw the water bottle. Due to all the landmines surrounding her, she was not worried about anyone seeing her light and come find her.

She turns on the flashlight and beam of light travels all the way to the back of the room. Uzuki traverses to where she threw her water. Her fingers skim along the arm rest of a cane couch near the back of the room. Her beam of light shines onto a broken flower vase shattered on the floor. It must have been what the water bottle hit. Uzuki shines her light around in a circle. Maybe it rolled under the couch. Uzuki gets on her knees and flashes the light underneath the couch but there was nothing, just more dirt. As she gets up and wipes the dirt off her knees her flashlight shines onto a purple corduroy backpack.

Uzuki's eyes squint in confusion. That's weird… The backpack looked relatively new and what was more confusing was that it had no dirt on it. She grabs it by the top and brings it toward the kitchen table. She slowly unzips it not knowing what to expect. Once the zipper has gone as far as it can go she shined her light into it and pulled out a 9th grade English book. Weird… Uzuki continues to pull out books until she gets her hands on a wallet. As she opens it up she sees a school ID with Ryan Foley's picture on it. What's Ryan's stuff doing in this house? We didn't get to keep any of our stuff. Uzuki reaches into the bag again and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Ryan smokes! No! Taped on the back of the pack of cigarettes was a pack of matches. Uzuki immediately rips off the matches and starts to light the candles Uzuki found during the first trip into this house before she placed all the landmines around her location.

The room starts to light up with an orange haze. The room started to feel slightly cozier and welcoming…but only very, very slightly. Since there was a decent amount of light in the room now Uzuki decided to empty the bag onto the table. All of Ryan's personal items get sprawled across the table but something catches her eye. A blue light glows on the table. Uzuki's eyes light up. Oh, thank God!! Ryan's cell phone seemed like a beacon of hope illuminating her heart. Uzuki didn't hesitate to grab it. She flipped the phone open and dials her house as quickly as she could.

Ring

No answer.

Ring

Again no answer. "Come on! Come on for once in your life pick up the phone!" Uzuki starts to pace around the room shuffling the dust beneath her feet.

Ring

"Hello" An all too familiar voice answers the phone.

Uzuki can't speak her hopes where shattered right in front of her eyes, "Mrs. Paine! You bastard what did you do?!" Her voice screeches through the distorted phone.

A very wobbly, heart warming voice responds, "Uzuki!" Not soon after sound of the phone traveling between people is heard.

Ms. Carrillo lets out a laugh as she begins to speak, "Uzuki Kimura I see you have found one of your classmate's personal belongings. We decided to scatter them throughout the island. To make it more fun. Who knows there might be some surprises in them."

"You are sick!" Uzuki lets out another yell. She didn't care if anyone heard her.

"Well we all have our guilty pleasures."

"I don't know how I'm gonna do it but I swear to God that I will make you guys pay!"

"We do not take kindly to threats Ms. Kimura." Ms. Carrillo stops talking. The silence made Uzuki even more uncomfortable then when she was holding the landmines. It wasn't long before a beam of red light filled up the room. Uzuki's soul screamed for help. Her collar had just started to beep. "Any trouble makers will be killed instantly."

Uzuki falls to the floor tears starts to well up on her face. Her voice became very quiet and weak as her imminent demise was about to come, "How can you do this to us? We are not bad people." Her collar blinks again.

Another horrible silence. "I like you Ms. Kimura you have promise. I guess action must be done in order to blow your collar. Not just words. The higher ups don't like it when we kill students so it's your lucky day. Sort of speak. Oh and just so you are aware the phone lines are only connected to each other. No calls can go out and no calls can come in but you can talk to other classmate's cell phones. I hate to leave you but I must go. Happy killings!" Ms. Carrillo lets out a very cheerful tone as she hangs up the phone.

Uzuki's collars stops glowing. She lets out a huge scream and as she was about to throw the phone across the room she stopped. Can communicate with other people? Uzuki quickly scrolls through Ryan's phonebook. It seems that everyone's phone number had been programmed into Ryan's phone. Just like the class president. Uzuki starts to type out a message, Anyone up for a plan to get out of this hell hole. Please respond back in text form - Uzuki. She then clicks on All Senders and the message sends across the space. Now all I have to do is wait.

Bling

"That was quick."

Uzuki opens the message and it read, Uzuki? You're alive! It's Andy. Where can we meet? - Andy

Before Uzuki responded she thought of how she had Ryan's phone. Maybe it wasn't actually Andy. Most people know that Uzuki and Andy are friends. Uzuki starts to type back. Before I will tell you where I am prove to me you are Andy. - Uzuki

A moment's pause.

Bling

U don't trust me? Well if u insist. During ur B-day I gave you BF necklace which u broke 2 min after u got it. - Andy

Uzuki smiles for the first time she has been out here as she started to type back. I still blame u for wanting to pet the dog. lol…that felt wrong. laughing…anyway it's a little more complicated getting to me. I placed landmines all around the residential area where I am hiding out and I dont want u to get hurt. If you want to co Uzuki's type limit is up so she sends it anyway and as soon as she does she continues to type. come then make your way for D-6 I think theres a airport. I can guide u from there. Be safe. – Uzuki the message gets sent.

Another moment goes by.

Bling

I'll be there. I stayed in E-6 so its not that far. Im glad ur ok. Be safe as well. – Andy

Uzuki hesitates before she decides to send one last message but she continues to type it anyway. I trust you Andy. Don't disappoint me. – Uzuki

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